It is known to provide various types of bone implants used in dentistry, joint prostheses installation or other branches of medicine. In most cases, the bone implant is used as an anchor in the bone for an extension secured to the top surface of the implant. A typical example of such implant is presented by implants used in dentistry but the present invention is not limited to that particular field of medicine.
The known bone implants are of two basic types. First, an implant is simply screwed into a pre-drilled bore by self-tapping action during which the thread of the implant taps into the surrounding bone often causing substantial damage to the bone tissue surrounding the implant and thus retarding the healing process. Another implant, used often in installation of the artificial joint head to a femur, is simply an elongated, slightly tapered stem driven by impact force into the marrow of the femur destroying a considerable part of the marrow. It is also known to provide what basically amounts to a bolt-and-nut securement of the implant used in supporting the head of an artificial hip joint. Such arrangement again uses a considerable space and its installation often results in substantial destruction of the bone and marrow tissue in the vicinity of the implant.
There is a need in the art for novel bone implants. There is also a need in the art to provide a bone implant which would provide a firm attachment to the bone tissue without subjecting the bone or the marrow to undue damage caused by the installation process. Further there is a need in the art for implants that can be affixed into bone, particularly, the long axis of bones in a manner that is minimally invasive and/or damaging to the bone.